Open-source alternatives to Terraform

Compare community-driven replacements for Terraform in infrastructure as code (iac) workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.

Terraform

Terraform is an open-source infrastructure-as-code tool that lets you define cloud and on-premises infrastructure resources in human-readable configuration files. It supports many providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, etc.) through plugins, enabling a unified way to manage diverse resources. Using Terraform, teams can version control their infrastructure, preview changes (execution plans), and apply updates consistently. It handles resource dependencies and state management, allowing safe creation, change, and destruction of complex environments with a single command, thus automating infrastructure provisioning and reducing manual errors.Read more

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

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Start with these picks

These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Terraform.

Atlantis

Fastest to get started

Why teams pick it

Launch quickly with streamlined setup and onboarding.

Key stats

3Alternatives
3Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
3Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses

Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Terraform.

Terragrunt

AI-powered workflows

Why teams pick it

Terragrunt extends Terraform/OpenTofu, providing reusable configurations, dependency management, and environment handling to simplify large‑scale infrastructure automation across multiple clouds and teams.

All open-source alternatives

Terragrunt

Scale Terraform and OpenTofu workflows with flexible orchestration

Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyGo

Why teams choose it

Reusable Terraform modules with DRY configurations
Built‑in dependency graph for ordered execution
Automatic remote state handling and locking

Watch for

Adds an extra abstraction layer to learn

Migration highlight

Standardize environments across dev, staging, prod

Deploy identical infrastructure with environment‑specific variables using a shared terragrunt.hcl hierarchy.

Atlantis

Automate Terraform pull‑request workflows with self‑hosted execution

Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployGo

OpenTofu

Declarative, safe, and efficient infrastructure management for any provider

Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyGo

Choosing a infrastructure as code (iac) alternative

Teams replacing Terraform in infrastructure as code (iac) workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.

3 options are actively maintained with recent commits.

Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Terraform.

Terraform

Terraform is an open-source infrastructure-as-code tool that lets you define cloud and on-premises infrastructure resources in human-readable configuration files. It supports many providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, etc.) through plugins, enabling a unified way to manage diverse resources. Using Terraform, teams can version control their infrastructure, preview changes (execution plans), and apply updates consistently. It handles resource dependencies and state management, allowing safe creation, change, and destruction of complex environments with a single command, thus automating infrastructure provisioning and reducing manual errors.Read more

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Visit Product Website

Key stats

3Alternatives
3Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
3Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses

Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Terraform.

Common questions

What language does OpenTofu use for configurations?

OpenTofu uses HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) for defining resources.

Answer surfaced from OpenTofu

Do I need to rewrite my Terraform code to use Terragrunt?

No, Terragrunt works as a thin wrapper and can be pointed at existing .tf files.

Answer surfaced from Terragrunt

Which version‑control systems does Atlantis support?

Atlantis works with any system that can send webhooks for pull‑request events, such as GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

Answer surfaced from Atlantis

Why teams choose it

Listens for Terraform pull‑request webhooks
Runs plan, import, and apply remotely
Posts execution results back to the PR

Watch for

Requires infrastructure to host and maintain the service

Migration highlight

Automated plan on PR creation

Reviewers see a detailed Terraform plan comment directly in the pull request

Why teams choose it

Infrastructure as Code with high‑level configuration syntax
Predictive execution plans that preview changes before apply
Resource graph that parallelizes independent operations

Watch for

Learning curve for HCL and state management

Migration highlight

Provision a production Kubernetes cluster

Consistent, repeatable cluster deployment across cloud providers with automated scaling

Find Open-Source Alternatives

Terraform

Start with these picks

Key stats

All open-source alternatives

Choosing a infrastructure as code (iac) alternative